Apparatus for making sound-records.



E. E. FFHTTS. DEC- D.

1. H. FRITTS, ADMINISTRATRIX.

APPARATUS 50R MAKING SSUND R ECORDS.

APPLWATIGN FILED .IUNEZZ. $912- j J R Pmemed Jan. 23, 191K.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

C. *i. FRITTS. DECD.

' 2. H FRITTS, ADMINISTRATRIX. MPARATUS FOR MAKING SOUND RECORDS.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 22, 1912- Patentedi Jan 23, 1917.

C. E. FRETTS. DECIL 1. H. FRXTTS, Amamlsmmmx.

APPARATUS FOR MAIHNG SOUND RECORDS,

A I: APIDLICAXJION FILED JUNE 22,1912- Lgii Patented Jan. 233, 191?.

4 3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

an snares PATENT neuron.

CHARLES EDGAR FRIT'IS, DECEASED, LATE OF ONE ONTA, NEW YORK, BYJOSEPHINE-H.

FRITTS, All)MINIS'JFIRATRILK, 0F ONEONTA, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR, BY MESNEASSIGN- 'MENTS, TO JOHN D. MYERS, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

APPARATUS FOR MAKING SOUND-RECORDS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 23, 1911?.

Griginal application filed October 22, 1880, Serial No. 19,313. Dividedand this application filed June 22,

1912. Serial No.705,34=9. v

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that CHARLES EDGAR FRIT'rs, now deceased, but formerly acitizen of the United States residing at Oneonta, in the county ofOtsego and State of New. York, did invent a new and useful Improvementin Apparatus for Making Sound-Records, of which the following is aspecification.

This invention relates to recording variations or pulsations in sounds,light or electric currents in a permanent or tangible form andreproducingthe same at will not merely at the instrument alone, but alsoat any other instrument suitably connected therewith.

The present application is a division of the original application,Serial No. 19,313, filed October 22, 1880, and relates to one of theforms of record shown and described in said original application.

The present invention includes the application of photography andelectricity for recording and reproducing the variations of vibratingunder those influences, and particularly under the influence of soundsas hereinafter fully set forth. For convenience of description theapparatus disclosed will be called a phonograph. butit is to beexpressly understood that it is not tlie intention to limit the scope ofthe invention to what is commonly known as or done by the so-calledphonographs or to narrow or re-- strict the scope of the invention inany way, but the term is used merelv for convenience.

The novel features of the invention will be apparent from the followingdescription taken in connection with the accompanying drawings.

In the drawings. Figure 1 is a, diagrammatic view illustrating thedefective result of attempting to produce a phonograph record byindenting the blank. Fig. 2 is an edge view of a speaking diaphragmhaving a shutter mounted thereon such as may be used in carrying out theinvention. Fig.

.3 is a view partly broken away showing a tive strip and rollers and atright an enlarged plan view of a portion of the strip having thephotographic record thereon. Fig. 5 shows two forms of shutter mountedon dlaphragms which may be used in carrymg out the present invention.Fig. 6 is a plan view of a strip having thereon a sinuous recordproduced by the shutter shown in Fig. 5. Fig. 7 is a Vertical sectionalview of one form of apparatus arranged for making the negatlve orpattern and moving 1t along by hand in carrying out the invention. Fig.8 is a diagrammatic View showing means for reproducing and utilizing anopaque record by reflected light. Fig. 9 shows an electric circuithaving a selenium bar therein adapted to be aflected by light from therecord. Fig. 10 is a similar view showing a flat selenium cell with alens for concentrating the light from the record on it. Fig. 11 showstwo selenium cells arranged for exposure through a single opening toproduce alternating current. Fig. 12 is a sectional view of an apparatushaving a mirror on the speaking diaphragm for reflecting light to therecord surface. Fig. 13 is a sectional view of an apparatus which may beused either for making or utilizing the record. Fig. 14 is a view indetail of a plurality of means for utilizing a single record. Fig. 15 isa plan view of a disk record having the photographic impressions thereonin a spiral. Fig. 16 is a perspective view of a cylinder having a spiralrecord thereon. Fig. 17 is another form of record connection v moreclearly. Fi 21 is a general view of the a paratus disclosed in Fig. 7but more in detail showing more clearly the arr ngement and connectionof the parts. Fig. 22 is a horizontal section on the line m-m. Fig. 21.Fig. 23 is a perspective view of the doors for the apparatus shown inFig.- 21.

. The great trouble with phonographs heretofore" is that theyhaveundertaken to record and reproduce delicate air pulsations by crude andclumsy mechanical means. In the operation of the methods heretofore usedthe metal point used for indenting the record is hindered in itsvibrations by the labor of impressing its motion in the foil or othermaterial used in its place. This resistance not only retards thediaphragm itself, but it retards it in a very variable manner. When thetracer point reaches a soft, thin or unsupported spot .in the foil itmoves farther than the average, while thick or hard spots, reduce themotion below the average.

score of other faults could be mentioned, but the most important is thatwhen the point is descending, the pressure of the foil against itsinclined forward surface retards the motion of the diaphragm; but whenascending, it hastens or assists it, thus deforming the vibrations ofthe diaphragm itself. This will be understood by examining Fig. 1, wherea is the tracer point, with its front surface inclined backward toprevent clogging. The dotted line b 12 represents the original level ofthe foil, which is fed along in the direction of the arrow, and thesolid curved line shows the actual form of a supposed sound wave, whilethe dotted curve shows the form which the point will tend to -make,andthis discrepancy will be aggravated by the stiffness of the foil, theweakness of the vibration or the spring of the tracer, and many othercauses.

The present invention is designed as one means for obviating thedifficulties above described and this is accomplished by dispensingentirely with the tracer and its spring and the foil or any substitutefor it, or any mechanical pressure devices whatever, for recording thesound waves tangibly. The present invention employs means for recordingthe vibrations of the diaphragm which neither retard nor acceleratethem, but will truly record the most extreme or violent, or the gentlestpulsations, and every one exactly as it occurred. This is done bycausing the diaphragm as it vibrates to vary a light which passesthrough an aperture to a surface sensitive to light by which the soundwaves are fixed and recorded. No matter how many or how different thesounds which are joined in producing the composite sound waves whichstrike the diaphragm, the true number and intensity of every one of themwill thus be preserved unchanged by the process of recording. Thisrecord is called the negative and from it can be produced copies orduplicates in the same or other materials and they can be used for thereproduction of the sounds recorded thereon.

The record of sound after it is produced as above described is utilizedto operate a speaking diaphragm by throwing upon it light which has beenvaried correspondingly with the form of the soundwaves recorded asbefore described which, as is known, causes the diaphragm" to vibrateand produce the sounds corresponding to those waves. To accomplish thisa powerful beam of light is passed through the negative previouslyprepared to and upon the diaphragm. This light passes through a narrowslit corresponding to the one used in making the negative, and by movingthe negative along behind this slit at the same speed as when making thenegative, it is evident that the original variations in the intensity ofthe light are exactly reproduced, and if they are thrown upon thediaphragm it will give out the same sound as that which originallycaused it to vibrate. Thus,

instead of trying to shove the diaphragm back and forth by machinerysome hundreds or thousands of times per second, at a constantly varyingspeed, and making each motion exactly'according to a prescribed pattern,each one of which may be different from any of the others, the same endin the present invention is accomplished by the slow motion of a singlepiece or negative, and causing that to control the action of a beam oflight directed upon the diaphragm.

Instead of the light beam passing through a transparent negative, it maybe thrown upon an opaque negative and the image of the pattern bereflected therefrom and utilized, or the intensity of'the light thrownupon the diaphragm may be automatically varied by the negative in manyother ways.

In making the negatives, the sound to be recorded is caused to impingeupon a vibrating diaphragm, which is properly damped and arranged, aswill be readily understood by those versed in telephony. To

-the center of the diaphragm d, Fig. 2, is

fixed a vertical screen or shutter s of mica or other light and stiffmaterial, secured at the center of its edge to the diaphragm, and itsinner corners being rounded off a little to prevent their contact withthe diaphragm during its backward vibrations, or to the left. Itprojects out at right angles to the plane of the diaphragm, ular form ismade opaque to prevent the passage of any light "through it. Fig. 3 is avertical plan view s is the shutter, d the diaphragm, Z is a powerfullight throwing a beam of nearly parallel rays across to the screen orpartition S, which has a long, narrow slit min it,through which thelight passes and strikes the prepared surface, which in this case isrepresented as a strip of sensitized paper, fed at a regular speed overthe rollers R, R. As the diaphragm shutter s in this form normallystands, its edges shut the light off from one-half of the slit, and invibrating it covers up more or less of the strip, according to theextent of the vibrations. The paper strip being carried along and inthis particbehind the slit m, Fig. 1, the edge of the shutter willdescribe a curved line at the unction of the part 6 not acted upon bythe light, and c, which is acted upon, and by proper treatment thelatter may be dissolved away or otherwise made transparent, in any wellknown way, as will at once be understood by photographers.

By varying the relative distances of the light, the shutter, and theslit or sensitive surface from each other, the apparent amplitude of thesound waves as recorded on the sensitive surface, can be increasedwithout changing their forms. In Fig. 3, two positions of the light areshown marked Z and Z. This method of amplifying the vibrations is oftenimportant, and can be applied for strengthening pulsations or variationsin light or electrical currents, as well as in sounds.

If, instead of an opaque shutter on the diaphragm, we leave a verticaltransparent strip across said shutter, the light will reach the paperstrip behind the screen only through the intersection of the two slitsin front of it, forming merely a square spot of light, as shown by Fig.5 at the intersection of the two slits n and m The vertical slit on themica should make the light beam of about the same width as thestationary horizontal slit in the screen. As the diaphragm vibrates andthe paper is moved along, we produce (after dissolving out the partsexposed-to light, blacking the rest, soaking in oil or otherwiserendering it transparentl, a narrow transparent curve on the paperstrip, as represented in Fig. 6. Instead of the vertical strip, we mayuse a transparent spot, at the point which will fall on the center ofthe stationary slit when the diaphragm is still, as seen at n on theupper shutter shown in Fig. 5. This, also, makes a negative strip likeFig. 6.

These patterns or negatives, and others which can be made by the abovedescribed method, are suited for different uses. It is evident that whena correct negative is once obtained, perfect copies can be produced notonly by photographic but also by ordinary printing processes, or even bymechanical. means, at a merely nominal cost,

even for the most elaborate negatives.

Having thus explained the principles of the present invention, Fig. 7represents an apparatus which has been devised for carrying out themethod. At A is a roll of the prepared negative strip, wound upon abobbin, which is mounted in journal bearings in any convenient way. Thisstrip may be of any suitable thin and flexible material, which may bestrong fine paper, but what is known as paper parchment is preferred,although many other substances may be used. It should be covered with athin film made very sensitive to light, by any of the instantaneousprocesses employed in photography,

although a dry process will be most convenient with this form ofnegative. After being properly coated and sensitized, it should becarefully dried, rolled up, and protected from light or damp till readyto use it. It may be thus coated and sensitized either before or afterbeing cut up into strips of width suitable for use, but in the lattercase care must be taken in the cutting not to disturb the adhesion ofthe film to the strip. A suitable width is -1- or g inch, and the lengthwill of course be governed by convenience, or the choice of theoperator.

The roll A is free to turn, being held only by the spring 1, pressingupon it sufficiently to prevent it from turning faster than the strip isneeded. From A, the strip passes over the flanged rollers R R, Figs. 3,4 and 7 at R is a rubber-faced roller which presses the paper stripbetween itself and R, tightly enough to prevent the slipping of thestrip. It also fits between the flanges of the roller enough to carrythat along with it. If desired, it can also press lightly on the rollerA to assist in rewinding the strip upon it. To this roller can beapplied the power which feeds the strip along before the slit min thescreen or partition S. For experiment, or common telegraphic purposes, acrank may be attached to the roller R or R, as shown in Fig. 7, or thestrip may be otherwise fed by hand. But when accuracy is required, somemotor should be employed which will give the negative a perfectlyuniform and known rate of speed. These are not new, and need not bedescribed, as they form no part of my invention. The motor may beattached to or contained in the box or frame of the phonograph, orotherwise connected, as preferred.

The strip being thus fed along at a uniform speed, it is wound upon asecond roller A or may simply be fed loosely into the bottom of the boxor case of the phonograph. It will now remain unchanged, if kept fromlight and damp, for days or even weeks,.-or, on the other hand, it maybe at once developed, intensified, fixed, or otherwise treated, torender the image permanent,according to the process employed or theeffect desired; all of which will be at once understood by those versedin photography, who will be enabled, from the foregoing description, toreadily make a negative strip having the characteristics required, andwill probably prefer the gelatin-bromid process. If the paper seems tohave a greasy nature, it may before applying the bromid emulsion. becoated with a 4 per cent. solution of white of egg, to which sulficientchrome alum has been added to give it a slight bluish tinge. 'This willinsure the film adhering perfectly, but it will seldom be required ifagood quality of paper or parchment is used. These strips being fixed,they may be treated and used in different ways. The parts acted upon bylight may be made transparent, and the rest blackened and rendered moreopaque, and the strip used by transmitting light through it; or thestrip may be left opaque, and used by reflected light,-inwhich case theparts acted upon by light should be made as white or brilliant, andthose not yet acted uponas black and absorbent of light aspossible, allof which can be done by any one out of many well known ways, anddetailed directions are not necessary. For example, a strip to be usedby trans mitted light may have the dark parts blackened with carbon ink,flexible black varnish, or otherwise, and the light parts renderedtransparent by dipping in castor oil thinned with absolute alcohol.

The finished strip being again wound upon the wheel or roller A andproperly arranged in the phonograph, we can reproduce the originalvariations in the first beam of light, in another beam of light, byfeeding the strip before the slit m at the same speed as when making thenegative, and throwing the beam of light through it as it passes theslit. To do this, the diaphragm (Z with its shutter is removed,theupright frame which holds it being arranged to slide on a foot-piecewhich fits in grooves, so that it may be slid into its place for use ormoved back out of the Way, as desired. The square chamber whichcontained the diaphragm is now empty or free, and allows the light Z toshine unobstructed across it, to and through the slit m, onto andthrough the strip which is rapidly fed before it, whereby the lightwhich passes through the strip is varied in precisely the same manner asthe original beam of light was varied by the shutter on the diaphragm(Z; i. e., the greater the proportion of the strip which is transparent,the longer the beam of light which is passed through it, and vice versa,(see Fig. t). This light can now be used to produce correspondingvariations or pulsations in sound, electric currents, magneticattractions, etc., as desired.

This varying light can be converted into sounds in different ways. Itmay be passed through a plano-convex or rather planocylindrical lens 72,or any suitable optical device, to widen and disperse it properlv, andbe thrown directly upon a thin, hardrubber diaphragm D, properlyarranged for speaking or giving out sounds. Or,-in place of the lens 1),a selenium bar or cell may be arranged to receive the light and therebyvary a current of electricity flowing through it, as shown at in Fig. 9,which current ma then be conducted to a suitable telephone, which issubstituted for the diaphragm D, and the sounds will beproduced by itwith any desired loudness. Or the current may be conducted by wire toany other instrument or place, in the same way as in telegraphy, andthere converted into sounds, or utilized for any'other purpose, as inFig. 13, where a current from D is represented as conveyed to atelephone T at one place and to an electrical receiver of any suitablekind El at another place.

, When selenium is used for receiving the light and varying an electriccurrent, it may be either in the shape of a bar 37, covering the slit m,as shown in Figs. 9 and 13 or that of a fiat cell 79 in Fig. 10, wherethe light passing through the negative or pattern P and the slit m isconverged by the lens 1) to a focus upon the selenium cell 19 or forproducing an intermittent current it may consist of two selenium cellsor bars suitably arranged, as shown in Fig. 11, and describedhereinafter. In either case, the electric current is arranged to flowthrough the selenium by proper conducting wires,

and the varying quantity of lightwhich falls upon the selenium willcorrespondingly vary the current flowing through it, as is well known toelectricians. The two cells, Fig. 11, are arranged end to end with theirapproximating ends at the central line 2 of the pattern strip so thatone cell or bar is opposite one-half of the slit m and the other bar orcellopposite the other half. Each cell is arranged to send whatevercurrent flows through it in a direction opposite to that of the currentfrom the other cell, in any wellknown or suitable manner and each may besupplied with its current from different ends or sections of the samebattery or from separate batteries, as shown in Fig. 20, where the twosections of the selenium are inserted in derived circuits or branches ofthe main circuit. In either case, the electric current is arranged toflow through the selenium by proper conducting wires and the varyingquantity of light which falls upon the selenium will correspondinglyvary the current flowing through it, as is well known to electricians.

The negative may of course be taken on glass, instead of paper, andarranged to be i properly moved before the slit and light.

Any suitable material may be used, whether transparent or opaque,flexible or rigid, plane or curved. When the negative strip is requiredto be very narrow, in order to save room, instead of the li ht fallingdirectly upon it, the varying light beam may he received upon a lens andconverged to the desired size before b ing thrown upon the sensitivesurface. The negative, in Fig, 7, would then be fed along at D. insteadof between 79 and m. Or, in Fig. 10, the negative would be at 79 Whenusing anopaque strip or negative, the sound waves, or, rather, thevariations naiaeae of light produced by them, are recorded in the sameway as already described. But, to reproduce those variations, the stripis fed along with the printed or formerly sensitive side outward, in thepath of a beam of light, by which it is powerfully illuminated, and thelight reflected from it is utilized instead of transmitted light. Fig. 8shows the arrangement: Z is the light, which passes through thealum-water cell 2,through the tube 3, and illuminates the moving strip4. 5 is a tube with blackened interior, each end having an aperturecorresponding to the slit m, and so directly toward the strip that onlythe light from that part of the strip which would be covered by the slitm can pass through both apertures,-all of which will be readilyunderstood by photographers. This light is then received by the lens, orother suitable optical device, p, and properly thrown upon the diaphragmD, as before. Or the lens 79 may be replaced by the selenium bar orcell, and the diaphragm D by one of the telephones, etc., exactly asbefore described for transmitted light. The distance of the illuminatingarrangement from the negative strip is merely sufficient to thoroughlylight up the field covered by the tube 5. Tubes 4 and 5 may be of anysuitable size, length, and material, all of which may be left to thejudgment of the'operator, who should arrange the apparatus according togood photographic practice.

The pattern may be made upon a long narrow strip, as described, orarranged spirally over the surface of a plate as in Fig. 15 or acylinder of any suitable size, shape, and material as in Fig. 16. Bymaking it in a circular form, as in-Figs. 17 and 18 and running itaround, it will continue to repeat the same sound, word, or phrase, aslong as it is turned.

Instead of the hard-rubber diaphra m I), one of celluloid may be used,also so vulcanized rubber, thin elastic brass and German silver, andother materials. The diaphragm all may be made of any of the materialsused in telephony, which are suitable for the employment to be made ofit in this process.

The light employed for making the negative should be strongly actinic,and may be direct sun light, or electric or other artificial lighthaving sufiicient actinic power for instantaneous photography. It shouldbe arranged in a chamber W, preferably with a reflector or other meansfor making the rays nearly parallel. I At 2, Fig. 7, they pass through aglass cell filled with alum water, to stop the heat without diminishingthe light. They then pass through an aperture of suitable size, acrossthe diaphragm chamber, Where they are manipulated by the shutter s, andthrough the slit m, as alreadydescribed. For using the negative, .sostrong a light will not always be needed, and a good kerosene lamp willanswer for most ordinary purposes. Gas light is not suitable, unless asteady flame can be obtained, as a flickering light will interfere withthe perfection of the speaking. For purposes requiringaccuracy, however,a light should be used having ample actinic power, and the stronger thebetter. No harm can be done by having a light unnecessarily strong as itcannot be strong enough to do any harm.

The whole apparatus is inclosed in a close box or casing, as shown inFigs. 7, 12, and 13, to exclude external light, particularly from thenegative. The light chamber W should be so tight that none of the lightcan penetrate the partitions around it, except through the cell 2. Thediaphragm chamber is also inclosed on all sides except the one facingthe sounds to be recorded, and the only opening on that side is throughthe bell or mouthpiece conducting the sound to the center of thediaphragm. All the interior surfaces are made densely black, in order toabsorb and prevent the reflection of any light that may find its wayinside. Suitable openings or doors are provided wherever necessary, forgiving access to the different parts, which may be arranged to suit theconvenience of the operator. This care about the light iS required moreespecially while making the negative. For speaking purposes much lesscaution is needed.

Fig. 11 represents the arrangement for transmitting signals by thephonograph records above described, except that the strip or negative Pis fed past the slit m transversely, instead of lengthwise of it, as itwould appear to be in the drawing. m is the narrow slit, long enough tocover the length of the two selenium bars 19 and 11 each being inclosedand protected from all light except that which passes through the slitand the negative strip P. Each bar has proper wires to conduct thecurrent through it, which are so connected up that each bar directs thecurrent which flows in it through the line in an opposite direction, andtheir resistances are such that no current (or a very slight one) flowsthrough either of them as long as they are kept in the dark. Butimmediately that the negative strip admits light to either bar,

its resistance is lessened, and the current flows through that bar tothe line, or to the primary coil of an inductorium which sends theinduced current to line, or to any other devices, as the case maybe,-the strength of the current being in proportion to the length of thebar thereby exposed to the light.

The electrical connections are more fully shown in Fig. 20 or they maybe arranged in any other suitable or well known manner. The lon er thetransparent part of the, strip or sigma the more of the bar is lightedup,

' through it.

and the stronger the current which flows When the other bar isilluminated, the same effect is produced, but the current is sentthrough the line or circuit in the opposite direction,all of which willbe readily comprehended and effected by electricians.

. Fig. 21 shows the general arrangement of theapparatus in more detailthan Fig. 7.

When in use the works are shut in by tight doors, as in Fig. 23,'where Ois the mouth piece through which vocal or other sounds are thrown on thediaphragm D. This mouth piece may be a deep bell-shaped cavity directlyover the diaphragm or be fitted to the face and be connected by atubeending over the diaphragm. The eifect is much increased by havingthe mouth piece fit closely to the face of the speaker.

In Fig. 21, means for automatically controlling the recording mechanismis shown, and it embodies a pivoted lever L carrying a catch to hold theroller A against rotation. This lever is raised to release the roller bymeans of the magnet M in circuit with the selenium p and this lever hassecured to it a spring cl fastened to the casing 0Z tending to normallyhold the lever down in engagement with the roller. A motor EM hascircuit connections L leading to opposite ends of lever L and thecircuit through the lever is completed when it is raised. An inductioncoil I is also in circuit with the selenium and it includes thetelephone T y for reproducing the sound while it is being recorded onthe strip P.

El represents an electrical apparatus capable of vibrating the diaphragmD when a telephonic, telegraphic or other suitable current is passedthrough it and thereby vibrating the shutter s placed in the path of thebeam of radiant rays from Z here shown as an electric lamp, and thusvarying said beam in accordance with the extent and character of its ownmovements. The beam thus varied is in the first instance thrown upon thesensitized. strip P fed down from reel A over guide roller R before theopening or slit m on to another reel A. The strip having been properlytreated to bring out and fix the image thus obtained and render itsuitable for use as a pattern, as before described, it is again woundupon reel A and its end hooked to reel A. The apparatus El'is moved backfar enough to take shutter 8 out of the beam of radiant rays which thenpass through the negative and are varied thereby as they had beenpreviously' varied by the shutter 8, after which they fall upon aselenium cell or other suitable apparatus 1), all as heretoforeexplained.

By suitably attaching the expansion wires of the telephone to thediaphragm d of the phonograph instead of to itsown diaphragm d, thephonograph will make negatives of the sounds or signals transmitted toit over the line in connection with the telephone. This arrangement isshown in Fig. 13. The telephone is designated by El, the base of whichslides in the cleats t t to the position shown by the dotted lines atits ends. 0 c are the suspension wires running to the cross piece atwhich is attached to the diaphragm cl which is carried by the base ofthe telephone and, consequently, moveswith the binding posts at theother ends of the wires 0 0 when the diaphragm and shutter are to bemoved back out of the way-thus avoiding any disarrangement of thetelephonic adjustments thereby. T is the telephone telegraphicinstrument or other apparatus which transmits sounds, electricalimpulses, or signals from a distance to the telephonic devices El bymeans of which those influences are enabled to actuate the phonographand produce records or patterns thereof as already described. The sameapparatus El, can, of course, be employed for transmitting -messages,etc., as well as for receiving them. The phonograph can, therefore,remain in the office and the speech, music, or signalsbe transmitted toit by telephone for record and preservation. In this form as in others,light from Z passes across the shutter s when that shutter is in theposition shown in full lines and falls on the sensitized strip P. Whenthe shutters is moved back out of the way and a developed strip issubstituted for the sensitized strip P, the light passes through it tothe selenium cell 1) in circuit with the primary of a-transformer D. Thetelephone T and any other suitable sound reproducer El are in circuitwith the secondary.

In Fig. 14, the invention is shown with the parts arranged to reinforcethe repro-, duced soundat various distances from the vmain apparatus. Inthis instance, the light l iswithin a casing having a semi-cylindricalend. in which are formed the slits m, m and m The record strip P passesover the rollers R and across the slits m, m and m whereby the lightfrom Z passes through the slits to the selenium cells p placed oppositethem. The telephone .or sound reproducer T is in circuit with theselenium cell at slit m. The current from the second cell at slit mpasses through the primary wire of an induction coil I, the secondary ofwhichsends an induced current through the several sound reproducingdevices 1, 2 and 3 arranged in the arc of a circle with the mainapparatus as the center, the characters 3 and 6 indicating the circuitconnections whereby the single current passes through each of thereproducers. A second set of reproducing devices 1, 2, 3 and 4 are shownarranged on the are of a circle as, m, at a, greater distanee from theapparatus, the circuit conlight rays, we may use a plane mirroratnections being shown at 8 and 7. These setached to the center of thediaphragm, and ries of reproducers on lines as, m and w, m, place thellght n front but a little to one are for the purpose of reinforcing ina large side, as shown in Fig. 12; the light beam hall, the sound comingfrom the reproducer Wlll be reflected to the other side of the T, thedistance between the slits m, m, and center. Now when the diaphragmvibrates m and the speed of movement of strip P the spot of light willalso change ts posibeing so regulated that the sound from T tion, andthe amplitude of 1ts vibrations Wlll will have traveled through the airto the be greatly increased by the angle between 10 line 00, a, at themoment that the correspondthe light and the central line or axis of theing portion of the strlp P reaches slit m so mirror. A umform pencil oflight being as to operate the reproducers on the line m, m, at the samemoment that the sound traveling through the air reaches that point.

thus vibrated on the sensitive surface will produce a sinuous recordline as shown in Fig. 6. It will be observed that the sinuous In Fig.19, the light from Z after being record line produced by the vibrationsof varied by the shutter 8 carried by the diaphragm 03 passes throughthe slit m, and is converged by the lens ,1) and then falls upon thenegative P. Instead of falling on the negative P, a speaking diaphragm Dmay be substituted for it and the light will then fall on the diaphragm.

Fig. 22 is a horizontal section through the lines w-m of Fig. 21,showing the light and the spot of light whether by means of the mirroror of the shutter shown in Fig. 5 will be of uniform character at allpoints and will not vary in width or breadth but will merely vary inlateral position.

In Fig. 12, the parts marked U and O are mouthpieces through which vocalor other sounds are thrown on the diaphragm d.

The messages sent bv the apparatus de- 25 lenses Z, alum cell 2, shutters, cylindrical rib d can be received by a telephone and so lens ,0 whichconverges the light laterally to spoken, printed, embossed, repeated,sent on a long narrow streak where it passes through or otherwisedisposed of. the opening at to strip P. The set-screWs It will beobserved that according to the t t adjust the forward position of theblock present invention the speaking diaphragm 3g 2& on apparatus El tobring the shutter 8 to is not called upon to do the physical Work of theright point. p is a small selenium cell actually making the record onthe receiving a which serves to automatically start off the body orsurface. The record is made by a strip P when the phenomenon occurswhich transmitted medium and the diaphragm is to be recorded. Theshutter s is caused to merely controls the point of incidence. Tn

5 5 Vibrate, as already stated, and thereby unother words, a pencil oflight is projected on covers the cell 79 allowing the light which therecord surface and the diaphragm has had previously been stopped by theshutter nothing to do save to vibrate it in accordto fall upon the celland by increasing its ance with sound waves. conductivity an electricimpulse is sent t will be understood that the invention is 4a throughthe starting magnet M. This im not confined to the particular structuralmediately pulls up the armature and lever features shown and that it isadapted for L and raises the pawl which had previously various uses.held the reel A, whereupon the reel is sud- Having thus described theinvention What denly revolved and draws the strip P past is claimed is:

45 opening m until the sound or other phe- 1. Tnadevice' for producingsound records, nomena ceases, when the shutter becomes the combinationwith a speaking diaphragm, still, the current substantially ceases toflow of a photo-sensitive surface, means for movthrough the cell 29 andmagnet M, the lever ing said surface, means including a shutter L dropsand the reel A is stopped. When for cutting off light from said surfaceexcept to reproducing the recorded phenomena the through a single lightopening, and means lever L is lifted manually by a cord a run operatedby said diaphragm for vibrating ning over a pulley through an apertureto said shutter and said light opening in acthe outside at someaccessible point, where cordance with sound waves. it can be pulled whendesired. The current 2. In a device for making sound records 55 of thecell p can also be sent through inthe combination with a photo-sensitivesurduction coil I and transmit the message if face, of means for movingsaid surface, desired to a telephone T at the same time means includinga movable shutter so conthat it is being recorded on P. structed as topermit a single spot of light The shutter may be attached to the centerto reach said surface, and means for vi- 60 of the diaphragm, or at theend of a light brating said shutter in accordance with lever, as in Fig.21, pivoted in a bar or supsound pulsations whereby said spot will portI). The diaphragm being connected to vibrate on said surface. the shortarm of the lever a greatly in- 3. In a device for making sound recordscreased motion of the shutter is obtained. the combination with aphoto-sensitive sur- 65 Instead of a shutter cutting ofi transverseface, of means for moving said surface, 13G

' the latter is operated in accordance with the means including amovable shutter having a light opening therein for permitting a singlespot of light to reach said surface, and means for vibrating saidshutter and spot transversely of the line of motion of said surface byand in accordance with sound pulsations;

4. Means for recording sound Waves'comprising a movable sensitizedsurface, means for moving said surface, an inclosure therefor providedwith an opening, a shutter provided with a light opening and located infront of the opening in said inclosure, a receiving diaphragm, anddevices intermediate of said diaphragm and shutter whereby vibrations ofthe diaphragm.

5. Means for recording sound waves comprising a movable sensitizedsurface, means for moving said surface, an inclosure therefor providedwith an elongated light open-- ing, and means for moving saidshutterlongitudinally of said first-mentioned opening in accordance with soundpulsations.

In testimony whereof I afliX my signature in presence of two Witnesses.I

JOSEPHINE H. FRITTS, Administratm'a: of the estate/0f Charles EdgmFritts, deceased. Q Witnesses:

GEORGE L. GIBBs, FRANCES E. FRrrTs.

